Easy Healthy Blueberry Recipes for Your Breakfast 

The versatile nature of blueberries is the invigorating force that sustains my desire to enjoy them, whether with my pancakes for breakfast, in pies, fruit salads, jams or just as snacks. You can basically enjoy blueberries with anything or in any recipe.  In this article, I will detail a few healthy blueberry recipes that you can make at home. 

What Are the Most Healthy Blueberry Recipes?

Blueberry is a healthy and nutritious fruit with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Determining which is the healthiest recipe is not easy since there are many blueberry recipes that are healthy. You can make your blueberry recipe healthy by your choice of the other ingredients that you include in your recipe. 

Is Blueberry a Healthy Snack?

Yes, blueberries are a healthy snack. It is loaded with a lot of nutrients that include antioxidants called anthocyanins, potassium, vitamin C and more.  Antioxidants work to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation and may therefore help in lowering the risk of some diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (1). Blueberries and other berries are also thought to be helpful in: 

• Lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Promoting gut health.
• Weight management.
• Boosting learning and memory.

How Many Blueberries Can I Eat A Day?

You might eat about 1 cup of blueberries a day if you are aiming to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases (6). A professor at Harvard School of Public Health has recommended a cup of blueberries a day when the blueberries are in season (1).

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Does Cooking Blueberries Destroy Nutrients?

Yes, cooking and heating blueberries can destroy some nutrients, but cooked blueberries are still packed with many nutrients. Which nutrients are destroyed and the extent depends on the cooking method that you use. According to some research, about 25 compounds were affected by cooking blueberries. Microwaving for instance led to the highest loss of polyphenols. Anthocyanins were also affected a great deal, but no nutrients were destroyed completely. In fact the majority of most nutrients remained intact with all cooking methods despite some losses (8). 

What Can I Do with A Lot of Blueberries?

Blueberries are versatile and you can do many things with a lot of blueberries. In my case, I use them to make blueberry smoothies, fruit salads, jams, or just eat them whole. When I have an abundance, I can freeze them for later use. 

2 Healthy Blueberry Recipes

You will agree with me that there are thousands of healthy blueberry recipes from different cuisines and with a great deal of variations. Let’s look at two healthy options that you can make at home: 

Healthy Blueberry Muffins (4)

If you are craving a healthy blueberry dessert or a snack for your breakfast, blueberry muffins are perfect for you. The process of making it is simple and it takes less than an hour to make. Let’s get into everything you need to know about this amazing recipe. 

• Serving: 24 people
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Rest Time: 10 Minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Calories Per Serving: 140 kcal

Ingredients

• 3 cups of fresh or thawed blueberries
• 3 cups of whole-wheat pastry flour
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons of honey
• 2 teaspoons of orange zest
• 1 ½ cups of unsweetened apple sauce
• Cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to about 375 degrees.
2. Put salt, nutmeg, baking powder, cinnamon, and flour in a large bowl and mix them together.
3. Put eggs, vanilla extract, apple sauce, vegetable oil, orange zest, and honey in another bowl and mix them thoroughly.
4. In the first bowl of flour mixture, create a hole and pour the second mixture of eggs then stir the ingredients together without overmixing them.
5. Add fresh or thawed blueberries and mix them gently.
6. Spray your muffin pans with cooking spray and fill them to about 2/3 full with your batter.
7. Bake until golden brown for about 20 minutes then leave to rest or cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Adapted from: Oregon State University. 

Read more: Weight Gain Recipes – The Delicious and Healthy Way

Blueberry Pie Bars Recipe (5)

For a healthy blueberry recipe , I chose blueberry pie bars because of its satisfying and refreshing sweet-tart flavor, versatility, nutritional benefits, and ease of making. Let’s prepare this nutritious and delicious dessert: 

• Cuisine: American
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Rest Time: About 13 hours
• Total Time: 14 hour 10 minutes
• Serving: 8
• Calories: 232 per 100g (7)

Ingredients

• ½ cup of clean dried fresh blueberries
• ¾ cup of all-purpose flour
• ¼ full-fat sour cream
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup of unsalted butter
• Less than 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• ¼ cup of granulated sugar
• Cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven up to about 350 degrees then spray your baking dish with cooking spray and put it aside.
2. Put flour, 1/8 granulated sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and mix them thoroughly until the butter is evenly distributed.
3. Using ½ of the butter mixture, press it into a baking dish using glass or the bottom of the measuring cylinder to form an even shape, then bake for about 15 minutes.
4. Now mix sour cream, vanilla extract, remaining sugar, and beaten egg in a large bowl, then fold in a bowl with blueberries gently.
5. When the crust is ready, gently pour the blueberry mixture onto the crust and then pour the ½ butter mixture you had reserved evenly on top.
6. Place it back on the oven and bake for about 45 minutes.
7. Leave it to cool for about 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate for about 12 hours until the bars are fully set.

NB: You can serve while it is cool at room temperatures but refrigerating can help in enhancing the flavors for bars to set fully. 

Recipe courtesy of AmindFullMom.

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Is There a Downside to Eating Too Many Blueberries?

Yes, eating too many blueberries is not healthy – just as eating too much of anything. It’s probably fine to eat about a cup per day (6). While they come with numerous benefits, eating too much may cause digestion issues such as diarrhea and constipation among other problems in sensitive people. Some people are also allergic to blueberries and that can also be a problem. 

In addition to that, blueberries might interfere with anti-diabetes drugs or medications as it may cause blood sugar to drop too low (3). Therefore, it is important to eat them in moderation or consult your doctor if you are on any medication. 

Types of Berries You Can Use in Your Recipes

There are a number of types of blueberry that you can use in your recipes, based on the taste and texture that you want to enjoy. Some of the common ones just to mention include the following: 

• Northern highbush – are large, sweet, and juicy.
• Southern highbush – similar to northern high bush but with a bit of tart flavor.
• Lowbush blueberries – small with sweet-tart flavor.
• Half-high blueberries – more intense sweet and tart flavor.
• Rabbiteye blueberries – large, sweet, with a firm texture.

Read more: 6 Fat Burning Smoothies Recipes You Can Make At Home

FAQs

• Do Blueberries Have Too Much Sugar?

No, blueberries do not have too much sugar. The sugar content in blueberries is moderate. They contain about 10g total sugars per 100g (2). Furthermore, the sugar in blueberries is naturally occuring, not added sugar. Therefore, you should not worry about the sugar content when eating blueberries. 

• Are Blueberries Healthier Than Strawberries?

Both blueberries and strawberries are healthy. It is difficult to rate which one is healthier than the other. This is because both offer great nutritional benefits to the body from their different nutrient composition. 

• How to Tell If Blueberries Have Gone Bad?

To know if blueberries have gone bad, check their appearance for any mold, and whether they have changed from being firm and plum to being wrinkled and dull.  Other signs of a blueberry that has gone bad include the following: 

• If the fruits are no longer firm but mushy and soft to the touch.
• If the blueberries have lost the mild sweet aroma and have a sour smell.
• If it has lost the sweet taste and become sour.

• Does Freezing Blueberries Make Them Healthier?

Freezing berries does not improve or detract from the nutritional value and hence, frozen berries carry the same health benefits as fresh ones (1). 

The Bottom Line

If you haven’t tried blueberries in your recipes before, then it is time to enjoy the nutritional benefits that they have for your health. You can basically use them in various recipes including pies, cakes, crisps, tarts, salads, sauces and jams, yogurt, waffles, and muffins among other recipes.